


Date Night Disaster

by LOTSlover



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: F/M, First Dates, Humor, Love Confessions, One Shot, Romance, Squee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-18 00:42:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3549680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LOTSlover/pseuds/LOTSlover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Batman decides to give in and take Diana out on a date, but will it turn out like she had hoped? BMWW FLUFF.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Date Night Disaster

**Author's Note:**

> BIG THANKS to Dinasis for the Beta! You're the bomb!

**Date Night Disaster**

He loved her.

There was no use denying it any longer. He was in love with her. And not just some fleeting crush or passing infatuation. This was real love, the kind that made your heart skip a beat and your stomach flip with just a thought or a mere glimpse of her.

He loved her. Madly…deeply…hopelessly.

And he hated himself for it.

He had trained his body into a specimen of absolute perfection, able to control every function of his body…except when it came to her. It was as if his body intentionally rebelled against him just to prove his control was not as complete as he thought.

The mention of her name caused a contented sigh to rise in his throat. The sound of her voice sent a shiver racing up his spine. Her scent alone created a quiver of desire to shoot straight into his groin. And that smile… That damn smile made his heart stutter in response every time. It was a wonder she didn’t notice the sudden change in its rhythm every time she entered a room.

There was a constant draw in his gut that drew him towards her, demanded that he be near her. Close never seemed nearly close enough. He ached inside to touch her, to taste those sultry lips that practically begged to be kissed, to feel that perfect body pressed flush against his.

But he couldn’t.

Gotham was far too important to him to sacrifice for a relationship that he’d only end up destroying in the end. He felt his throat suddenly tighten. He couldn’t handle that – destroying her or losing her friendship. She meant far too much to him to do that to her.

Besides, everyone in his life eventually left him. It would only be a matter of time before she would be added to that long list as well.

If he couldn’t have her in his life as his lover than at the very least he had to have her as his friend. Life without her in it in some way was a life that he didn’t want.

That was why had to do this…or at least that’s what he told himself.

At last, he would give her what she wanted – a date with Bruce Wayne. He’d make her see that he wasn’t worth her time or attention and definitely unworthy of her love. She deserved far better than him. Even though it would kill him inside to see her with someone else, he would force himself to move on knowing that she was happy and with someone who could truly give her the attention that she deserved instead of having to take a back seat to Gotham.

Drawing a deep breath, Batman came to a stop outside of her quarters on the Watchtower. He knocked firmly on the door, stunned when it finally opened to reveal a leggy Amazon in nothing but a white towel wrapped around her that barely covered her generous assets.

Another towel was in her hands as she dried her hair, hiding her face from him. Beads of water glistened on her flawless bronzed skin. He suddenly found himself dying to lap up those droplets with his lips and tongue.

Curious blue eyes peered out from beneath the towel in her hands, becoming even brighter if that was even possible when she saw who was at her door. “Batman,” she greeted him as she lowered the towel, allowing a waterfall of wet locks to cascade over her shoulders and down her back in a beautiful mess.

Batman nearly swallowed his tongue at the erotic sight of her like this, his hands itching to bury themselves in that thick, lustrous hair. No…wait. Rip the towel off her body first then go for the hair. No, kiss her senseless, then rip the towel from her body and then bury his fingers in her hair, he ultimately decided as he silently studied her.

He growled to himself as he took an involuntary step forward without even realizing what he was truly doing, his mind already picturing himself slamming her up against the wall of her quarters and taking her with wild abandon.

Thankfully, she seemed oblivious to his lustful thought process as she cocked an eyebrow in confusion. “Can I help you?” she asked.

The question hit him as hard as if it had just been delivered by her fists. Yes, she could help him. She could relieve the unbearable throbbing in his uniform pants not to mention satisfy every sexual fantasy that he’d ever dreamed about with her since they’d first met.

“You win, Princess,” he finally rasped once he was able to make his tongue work…or at least he tried to rasp in his usual fearsome tone, but it sounded more like a wheeze. Damn it.

The corners of her lips curled as she folded her arms against her terry cloth covered breasts, making them seem even more prominent as she leaned against the doorframe. “What did I win?”

“A date,” he bit out, doing his best to keep his boots firmly planted where they were instead of moving closer to her.

“A date?” she repeated suspiciously, her eyes widening in surprise. “With you?”

“Who else?” he snapped, immediately regretting his tone. “Yes, a date with me.”

Diana appraised him for a long moment, trying to figure out what he was really up to. This was so unlike him to suddenly change his mind or to actually initiate a conversation with her about them. It was a subject he avoided like it was Christmas.

“What’s the catch?” she asked, unconvinced this was a real request.

“There is no catch, Princess,” he maintained. “Are you free tomorrow night?”

“You couldn’t get a date to some charity event, could you?”

Bruce bristled with her question. This was becoming far more difficult than he had originally anticipated. Had he been that tough to deal with that she was this suspicious of him and his motives? Actually, she had every right to be, but still it made him second guess himself.

“No, I am asking you out on a date with me in Gotham,” he repeated, emphasizing every word.

“The whole evening?” she questioned him again. “You’re not going to suddenly ditch me after an hour because of some pre-planned emergency?”

“No, I promise,” he firmly stated. “Just you and me for the whole evening…or however long it should last.”

He silently cursed himself for the flirtatious response he’d tacked on at the end, especially after seeing her stunned expression. She recovered quickly, but he still didn’t think that her blue eyes could sparkle any brighter than they were in that moment.

“I’d love to,” she replied with a sultry smile that warmed him clear to his toes. “How should I dress?”

Damn her if she didn’t make him nearly forget his name as well as the ulterior motive behind his request for a date with that smile alone. “Casual and inconspicuous.”

“Do I get a hint about what we’re doing?”

“Nope,” he bluntly stated with a small smirk. “It’s confidential. You’ll find out soon enough, Princess. See you at seven.”

Diana could tell he was up to something, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what it might be. She decided that two could play the coy game. “Will I need to pack an overnight bag?” she sweetly asked, reaching out to lightly drag a single finger along the defined slop of his jaw before momentarily tracing his lips.

She felt him tremble beneath her touch. It was slight and barely perceptible, but most definitely there. His lips parted slightly beneath the tip of her finger as he drew a ragged breath. She could tell that he was struggling to not take her finger into his mouth. She let her hand drop to her side again as she waited for him to gather himself so he could respond.

Bruce silently recited every single criminal he had locked up in Arkham at that moment in an effort to not completely unleash his lust on her. “That won’t be necessary, Princess,” he finally replied, his voice decidedly huskier than it had just been a moment ago as he abruptly leaned in very close to her, his lips a mere breath away from hers. “I’m sure I have something you could wear if you need it.”

He held his position a beat longer than necessary, allowing his proximity to have its desired affect before suddenly pulling back and stalking away. Diana stood in the doorway trying to catch her breath as she watched him disappear into his own quarters two doors down.

She was too overwhelmed by his invitation to notice that he was walking with a definite limp in his step as he quickly escaped to his quarters. She knew he was up to something with this date tomorrow night, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

It didn’t matter, though, she thought as she closed the door. She was going to spend the evening and hopefully more with Bruce and if he tried to back out or did something to purposefully ruin it, she’d break him in two.

XXX

Diana appeared at Wayne Manor at seven o’clock on the nose, doing her best to hide her excitement as well as the unexpected nervous flutter in her stomach. She ran her hands over her dress hoping that she was dressed appropriately for whatever Bruce had planned for them tonight.

Ringing the doorbell, she could hardly believe that this was really happening. She was finally getting what she had been longing for, getting the chance to show Bruce that they could have a relationship despite their work.

The door suddenly opened, Alfred’s smiling face greeting her. “Miss Diana,” he exclaimed. “It’s a pleasure to see you again. Won’t you please come in? Master Bruce is almost ready.”

“Thank you, Alfred,” she replied with a smile as she entered, her hands clasped before her. “I hope I dressed properly for the evening.”

“You look lovely,” Alfred reassured her. “I don’t know what Master Bruce has planned, but I’m sure you’ll fit in just fine.”

Bruce stopped at the top of the stairs, his insides fluttering with the sight of the Amazon Princess waiting below. She was wearing a sundress in a striking shade of pale blue, the sides of her raven hair pulled up and pinned in the back. The rest of her luscious hair hung in loose curls around her shoulders, contrasting beautifully with the pale cornflower blue of her dress.

She wore simple flats, but even those looked elegant on her. Her dress stopped well above her knees, allowing a generous view of her long legs that he was dying to touch, had dreamed of having wrapped around his waist in the heat of passion more times than he could begin to count.

Shaking himself out of his lustful thoughts, he forced himself to descend the stairs, knowing he couldn’t turn back now no matter how much he was beginning to reconsider this whole convoluted plan to deter her.

“Hello, Princess,” Bruce greeted her in the playboy voice that he’d mastered over the years.

Alfred and Diana both did a double take as he came down the stairs, the elder man’s jaw dropping in absolute shock as the princess’s eyes widened in shock. “Master Bruce,” Alfred hissed in obvious disapproval. “May I have a word with you in private?”

Bruce could tell that Alfred was furious with him, but it was part of his plan. “I’m afraid I can’t right now,” Bruce declined as he turned his attention to Diana. “I have a beautiful date waiting for me. You look stunning, Princess.”

“Th…thank you,” she murmured, still stunned by Bruce’s appearance.

He was wearing a pair of worn out blue jeans and black work boots. A white t-shirt adorned his chest, partially covered by a plaid flannel shirt that he had rolled the sleeves to above the elbows. She suddenly felt very overdressed and rather awkward.

“What’s the matter?” he innocently asked, looking down at his clothes. “Don’t you like my outfit?”

“No…no, you’re fine,” she replied, her voice revealing her bewilderment as she smoothed a hand over her hair. “I…I have just never seen you dressed like…like…”

“Like a truck driver who just returned from being out on the road for a month?” Alfred bit out in utter irritation, rescuing the confused princess.

Bruce bit back a smirk at how upset Alfred was with him, but it was all part of the plan to dissuade the princess from pursuing him. It wasn’t safe for her to associate with him even if she was a Meta. Someone would eventually get to her and take her away from him forever. He could never live with that. This was for her own good, he told himself.

“I kind of like the look,” Bruce retorted in mock indignation as he looked down, lifting his black work boot to get a good look at them. “It’s a lot more comfortable then my suits or my uniform. Besides, it’s casual and inconspicuous, right?”

Diana leaned in, lightly placing the palm of her hand against his chest, a smile lighting her face. “I think you look rather handsome,” she softly confessed as she stared into his eyes.

For a moment, Bruce completely forgot that they weren’t alone. All he knew, all he saw was her and the bottomless ocean-blue eyes that he longed to drown himself in. His gaze finally dropped to her lips, his head slowly closing the distance between them before he realized what he was doing.

He quickly pulled back, clearing his throat. “Thank you,” he said, smiling at Alfred before turning and leading Diana out. “See you later, Alfred. Don’t wait up for us.”

Alfred snorted with complete outrage as he watched them leave, wishing he could get his hands around his surrogate son’s throat. Not only was he dressed inappropriately for a man on a date let alone a Wayne, he was purposefully leading the princess on only to break her heart.

Grumbling to himself, the British butler began to rehearse the fierce tongue lashing that he was planning on giving him the moment he returned home tonight. The young man was going to curse the day that he had invented such a cockamamie plan as this in such a determined effort to avoid what his heart had known all along.

XXX

Bruce kept his eyes focused on the road ahead of him despite the fact that Diana kept glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He could tell that his outfit had completely thrown her, but she hadn’t seen anything yet. Their date was just beginning.

He had to admit he felt a little guilty about what he was doing, leading her to believe that she actually had a chance to nab his heart, but he just couldn’t let her have it no matter how badly he wanted to give it to her. If truth be told, though, she already owned it. He just couldn’t let her know that. He couldn’t risk her life over something as inconsequential as love.

His heart tried to tell him all of the reasons why they would work, how absolutely perfect they really were for each other, but his mind kept showing him all the things that could happen to her if he let her into his dark grisly world. He just couldn’t allow it.

“So where are we going?” Diana finally asked, breaking the tense silence that filled the car.

“It’s a surprise,” he informed her, flashing her his patented grin.

She nodded her head in understanding, suspicious about what he was actually up to. “Do you normally dress like this when you go out?”

“Oh yah,” he tried to tell her, unable to meet those eyes that seemed to know every part of him – even the ugly dreadful parts that he tried so hard to hide, tried to not think about. She was the embodiment and truth and light and he was lying to her. It made him feel even worse inside. “Well, sometimes…if I don’t want to be recognized.”

“I actually find it rather…attractive…on you. You wear it well for a billionaire playboy.”

Bruce didn’t know what to think about her compliment. Flattered? Annoyed? Aroused? It was pretty much a combination of all of that. She was supposed to be repulsed by him, not drawn even more to him. With a sigh, he reminded himself this night was just beginning. By the time he was through, she would be slapping him, telling him to never come near her again.

Instead of relief with that thought, he felt sudden overwhelming sorrow, his heart unexpectedly clenching with fear…fear that he hadn’t felt since the night that he nearly lost Dick to Tony Zucco. It nearly stole his breath.

“Bruce, are you alright?” Diana asked with concern as her hand lightly came to rest on his forearm.

He turned to look at her, his defenses down and his piercing blue eyes revealing the real Bruce Wayne to her, allowing her to momentarily see his very soul…the fear that threatened to choke the very life out of him if he ever truly lost his grip on it.

He gazed into her eyes that reflected such overwhelming love and concern. It felt as if his soul had just been immersed in sweet serenity, finding the solace that he’d been seeking since he was eight years old. He swallowed hard, fighting to pull himself back together.

“I…I’m fine,” he weakly reassured her. “Why?”

“You just looked really pale there for a moment,” she replied, pulling her hand back to her lap. “If you would rather do this another time, I will understand.”

Bruce shook his head, nearly panicked with the idea of her leaving. “No…no, I want to.”

“Alright,” she conceded, still skeptical as she relaxed back into her seat.

She turned to gaze out the passenger window, watching the landscape as it flew by and wondering what had just happened to him. The confident, always in control Bruce Wayne had suddenly slipped away and in his place was a little boy so vulnerable and afraid. It made her feel special that he allowed her to see such vulnerable emotions and yet guilty to have caused him pain. She wanted to help the frightened little boy that lived inside of him.

She loved him – every part of him, no matter how bad he thought it seemed. Why couldn’t he see that? She didn’t want to stand in the way of his mission or try to change who he was. She only wanted him to let her in, allow her to love him and help him see that life didn’t have to be so cold and lonely and harsh.

Bruce cast a furtive glance at the woman sitting silently beside him, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel to keep from reaching for her hand. As much as he wanted this night to discourage her, he couldn’t handle seeing her hurt. It hurt him far worse than any attack that Killer Croc could ever hope to dish out.

He shook himself from his thoughts as he pulled into Robinson Park, suddenly unsure if he could go through with this, but it was too late now. “We’re here,” he announced.

Diana looked at the view before her, startled to find themselves at a park. By the time Bruce had come around to open her car door, she had recovered enough to speak. “What are we doing here?”

“Eating,” he replied as if it was obvious.

“Good,” she said with a warm smile. “I’m starving. I was gone all day on a mission and didn’t have a chance to eat yet.”

Guilt cut like a knife into his gut as he took her by the hand and began to lead her away from the car. She happily laced her fingers with his, tightening her hold on his hand as she leaned against his shoulder. It felt as natural as breathing being with him.

Bruce couldn’t contain the warmth that washed through him being with her like this, holding her hand and feeling the occasional brush of her shoulder against his. He momentarily closed his eyes and breathed deeply; savoring her intoxicating scent that immediately set his pulse to racing and made his head spin.

He eventually led her to where a man was standing with a cart. “We’ll take two please,” Bruce said, taking one and handing it to Diana.

Diana took her hotdog, staring at it in puzzlement. Bruce internally cringed knowing the tirade that was coming now. There was no way she was going to settle for a hotdog for dinner when Bruce Wayne always wined and dined his dates with expensive dinners and dancing.

She looked up from her hotdog with an inquisitive expression. “Where’s the ketchup?”

Bruce’s jaw slackened slightly with her question, taken aback by her response to the dinner that he’d planned for her. He reached for the ketchup bottle, squeezing it only to have it explode out of the opening, a large glop of ketchup landing on her dress.

“I am so sorry,” Bruce apologized as he quickly reached for the napkins to help clean up the mess he’d made, feeling terrible for ruining her dress. It had been a pure accident.

“Don’t worry about it, Bruce,” Diana reassured him, trying not to blush as Bruce wiped the ketchup from her dress. “It’s just a dress.”

“I’ll have Alfred clean it for you as soon as we get back,” he told her. “He’s a master at getting stains out. Believe me. I’ve given him plenty of practice over the years.”

“Bruce, it’s alright,” she told him as he attempted to put some ketchup on her hotdog for her again. “It’s not a big deal. You should have seen what I looked like when I came back from my mission this afternoon. Mudslide in Peru. ”

Bruce sighed heavily as he paid the man before taking a bite of his hotdog, still astonished by her reaction. He was fully mesmerized as he watched her take a bite of hers, her eyes falling closed in rapture as if she had just bitten into the finest steak.

She didn’t care in the least that he had treated her to a three dollar hotdog instead of buying her a hundred dollar meal at a five star restaurant. She was beyond adorable and he couldn’t help wanting to kiss her in that moment especially when her hotdog left a bit of ketchup on her lip.

He swallowed a groan as her tongue darted out to lick away the remnant of the condiment, wishing he could have removed it for her. “How’s your hotdog?” he asked, finally figuring out how to make his mouth work.

“It’s delicious,” she beamed at him. “I haven’t had a hotdog in forever.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he murmured, pleasantly stunned and confused.

Taking her hand, he began to lead her away, but she pulled him to a sudden stop, a sheepish expression on her face. “Can I have another one?” she asked.

Bruce couldn’t suppress the grin that stretched across his face, chuckling at her question. “Of course you can,” he told her. “How many more do you want?”

A rosy blush suffused her cheeks, causing her to appear even more radiant. “Just one, thank you.”

Still chuckling, Bruce turned back to the vendor. “Two more please…with ketchup.”

The vendor handed him the hotdogs, applying the ketchup himself this time before taking the money with a knowing smile. “Enjoy.”

“We will,” Bruce reassured him with an honesty that he hadn’t anticipated.

Handing Diana her second hotdog, he immediately captured her hand again as he led her away. They walked in comfortable silence for several minutes as they approached an empty playground. It looked rather run down and in poor shape, much of the play equipment having been ignored or ill-maintained.

It depressed Bruce to see this happening in his city. Robinson Park definitely wasn’t in the best part of Gotham, but it certainly deserved better than this. He made a mental note to talk to someone at Wayne Enterprises on Monday about fixing all of this.

Diana squeezed his hand, pulling him out of his brooding reverie. “This bothers you, doesn’t it?” she gently prodded.

Bruce silently nodded his head as he stared at the merry-go-round lying tipped on its side, the set of slides covered in graffiti, the rusty jungle gym that was barely holding together. This was not the best that Gotham had to offer, but he was going to remedy that soon.

He suddenly felt Diana’s hand slip from his own, pulling his attention from the dilapidated equipment to her. He watched with curiosity as she made her way to the swing set. Three of the swings weren’t even attached to the chain on one side; the last swing looked as though it could give at any moment if a stiff breeze came through.

Diana stared at the barely intact swing for a second before deciding to test it. “Diana…I don’t think…” he began.

Ignoring him, she turned to settle her bottom on the swing, her long slender fingers wrapping around the chain. She cautiously allowed her weight to settle on the seat, relieved when it didn’t give way. She slowly began to use her legs to make the swing move, a playful smile adorning her beautiful face full of such sweet innocence.

His legs began to move of their own accord, taking him to her like the beautiful radiant beacon that she was, drawing him in like a broken ship lost at sea. He moved behind her, his eyes never leaving her as he began to push her, his hands finding the small of her back.

It was ironic that one of the few women in the world that could actually fly would enjoy a swing, pretending that she was soaring through the air. Her raven hair whipped behind her as it tried to keep up with the speed she was gaining, her dress fluttering in the breeze the movement of the swing was creating.

Lilting laughter escaped her lips, filling his ears and warming his heart through and through. He couldn’t help but chuckle in response as he pushed her even higher. She unexpectedly leaned back as far as she could, a contented expression gracing her face as her head fell back, her long raven hair trailing behind her.

“Higher!” she yelled as she looked at him upside down.

Bruce shook his head in amusement as he pushed her shoulders. “You do remember you can fly, right?”

“I know, but this is different,” she explained. “It’s a challenge to see how high I can go.”

Diana soared to the highest point the swing could go when there was a loud snap and the chains gave way, causing her to suddenly plummet towards the ground below. “Diana!” Bruce yelled as he instinctively ran to catch her.

She immediately righted herself in the air just as Bruce reached her. She let herself go, landing gracefully in his arms. “That was fun,” she told him with a grin as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Bruce was still trying to calm his pounding heart as he cradled her in his arms, suddenly noticing how flushed her face had become…the happiness she exuded causing her to practically glow from the pure light that lived within her. It was contagious.

Without a second thought, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss. Her fingers travelled up the back of his neck to playfully tug at the short strands, more than disappointed when he suddenly pulled away as if just realizing what he had done.

Averting his eyes, he carefully set her back down on the ground. “Are you alright?” he asked, unexpectedly feeling awkward.

“I’m fine, Bruce,” she reassured him. “It was nothing.”

Bruce raked his fingers back through his hair, realizing how off-track things were rapidly becoming. This was not going as he had hoped. She was supposed to be turned off at least a little by now instead of smiling at him like he was her knight in shining armor.

It both turned him on and scared him to death.

“So, what’s next?” she asked, excitement lacing her voice.

His mind was numb and yet his thoughts were spinning wildly out of control. There were a lot of things he wanted to do with her right now, but at least eighty percent of them were unacceptable in a public setting…or at the very least frowned upon.

“Well, I was kind of thinking of going…” he began before she captured his hand again.

“Let’s go walk along the river,” she suggested. “The sun is just about to set.”

“Alright,” he relented. He was slipping, losing his grip on his resolve to make her not want to be with him.

He was going to have to do something to ruin the evening and fast before his heart finally won out. Obviously bringing her to a dilapidated park and buying her a hotdog hadn’t worked so far. In fact, it had only made him want her more. On top of that, it had reminded him just how much more work he truly needed to do to save Gotham.

Approaching the river, they found a couple of old looking rowboats tied to the dock floating in the water. Diana immediately went towards one, causing Bruce to internally groan. “Diana, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“What could go wrong?” she asked as she climbed in, giving him a challenging look as she settled onto the small bench. “Don’t tell me the fearsome Bat is afraid of the water?”

“I’m not afraid of anything,” he maintained with a glare as he joined her in the boat.

Untying the rowboat, he used the oars to paddle them further out into the water, tension rising in his muscles. He didn’t think it was a good idea to be out here alone with her in a small boat that could crumble into dust at any second. He was having a very hard enough time trying to control the desire that was incessantly pumping through his veins without taking a romantic boat ride with her. It was like jumping out of the fire and into an inferno.

She turned slightly to see the view of the city that the boat afforded them, the setting sun casting a warm orange glow on everything it touched. She absentmindedly hooked her hair behind her ear as her curious gaze settled on the skyline, her bare knees brushing against his.

She was positively breathtaking to behold as he watched her, her interest and excitement in even the simplest pleasures in life both fascinating and charming him to no end. She saw the good in everything she looked at and yet she wasn’t completely naïve about the depravity that man could sink to. And for some reason he couldn’t comprehend, she saw something good in him too, something that he wasn’t sure truly existed, but he couldn’t help hoping.

She was truly amazing in every single way, so unlike any woman he had ever known. All of the socialites’ daughters and models he’d dated over the years would have slapped him the second he tried to hand them a hotdog, but not his Diana. She wasn’t supposed to be enjoying such a simple unglamorous date like this, but she was. Nor was she supposed to be causing him to fall even more in love with her.

“It’s beautiful out here, Bruce,” she wistfully said.

Her statement startled him, causing him to pause in his rowing. He thought he had been the only one to see the potential beauty that Gotham possessed, noticing what it could be someday once all the wickedness and depravity had been expunged from its gritty streets and neighborhoods.

“It is…isn’t it?” he murmured in wonder as he took a moment to look around.

“I can see why you fight so hard to protect it,” she thoughtfully told him. “It truly deserves all the time and effort you put into it. You never get the gratitude or recognition that you truly deserve. Gotham is lucky to have you as its guardian, Bruce.”

Bruce was dumbstruck by her observation, her compliment making his heart swell with such immense pride. It had been so long since anyone had ever seen in his beloved city what he saw in it. It made him suddenly ache inside to hold her, to kiss her again. The kiss they had shared just a little while ago had been much too chaste and far too brief and yet it had still managed to leave his lips tingling with desire for so much more.

Unfortunately, the rickety old rowboat suddenly creaked and groaned, a leak springing up right between them. Water quickly began to fill the boat, interrupting the moment. “Oh, Hera!” Diana exclaimed. The boat quickly began to sink further into the river as Diana leapt to her feet. “I think we better abandon ship.”

“Sit down, Princess,” he told her as he grabbed hold of the edges of the boat. “You’ll tip us.”

“I think we’re going to get wet either way. How about I save us instead?” she suggested, reaching over to pull him up onto his feet that were now submerged in water.

The boat began to sway even more with both passengers standing, causing Bruce to lose his balance. Before he could hit the water, Diana scooped him up and flew them both safely to shore. She gently set him down on solid ground just as the boat disappeared beneath the water.

Diana looked down at her wet dress before looking at Bruce who was equally wet, but not nearly as drenched as they could have been. She suddenly burst into laughter, a sweet melodious sound that took Bruce by surprise. He couldn’t contain his own amusement as he looked down at his jeans that were nearly soaked up to his knees.

“That was an absolute disaster,” he said with a shake of his head. “I think we had better quit while we’re ahead.”

“No way, Bruce Wayne,” she adamantly declared, her hands finding her hips. “This date is not ending yet just because our boat sank. What did you have in mind next?”

“You want more?” he asked, incredulous.

“Of course,” she replied. “Just make sure its someplace dark so they can’t see how bad we look.”

“You never cease to amaze me,” he muttered with a shake of his head as he took her hand and led her back to his car.

“What?” she asked, baffled. “The Dark Knight is actually surprised by something? I thought you were always prepared for everything.”

“Princess, there is no way to ever be prepared enough for you,” he informed her as he opened her car door for her.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she responded with a smirk as she slid into her seat, more than ready for their next adventure.

XXX

Diana was perplexed when Bruce parked his car in front of a club in a part of Gotham that looked anything but safe. Not that she was worried, though, because she could more than take care of herself. In fact, she found that she was more intrigued than anything, wondering what made him want to come here.

It was so unlike the polished playboy that she saw in the magazines and newspapers, the one who attended all of the high-society galas and charity benefits. This was a side of him that she hadn’t even known existed, so incongruous with the man that she’d known for the past three years.

She took his offered hand, exiting the car to the sound of music blaring from the establishment they’d parked in front of. The club practically pulsated with the beat of the music inside of it, people standing outside talking and smoking and laughing. It was not the scene that she had pictured her date ending up at, but she had told him she was up for anything and she had meant it.

Bruce could feel her hesitation and immediately regretted bringing her. It was one of the clubs that Batman frequented when he needed to get information. It wasn’t the worst establishment in Gotham, but it definitely was not the best…and not one you took a date to.

He needed to steel himself against his defiant heart that was fighting to persuade him to let her in. He had let things go too far already tonight. They could go no farther. He had to make sure that she was over him by the end of the night.

“Ever been to a club, Princess?” he asked as he nodded his head at the large grisly bodyguard standing on the sidewalk outside of the club. He’d interrogated him as Batman more times than he could count. He was all brawn and absolutely no brains.

“Not one like this,” she admitted, nearly yelling over the music in order to be heard.

His head snapped up to look at her again, stunned by her admission and wondering when he had missed this little morsel of information. He usually kept better tabs on her than that. “You’ve been to a club before?”

“Sure,” she replied with a nod. “There was the one I went to with Princess Audrey in Paris. Also, Shayera and Dinah and I went once. It was a lot of fun.”

He pulled her to a stop, suddenly wanting a lot more information than she’d given. “What did you do there?” he demanded to know, his gaze narrowing sharply.

Diana smirked at him, immediately recognizing his interrogation face. She knew it was the expression he wore beneath his mask when he was in the middle of an important interview with a possible witness. “We drank, laughed, and danced. You know…the usual things you do at a club.”

“Who did you dance with?” he pressed as he folded his arms disapprovingly against his chest.

Diana shrugged. “I don’t know…lots of guys I guess. There was actually a whole group of men surrounding me when I danced. I don’t really remember. I was pretty tipsy that night.”

Bruce ground his teeth, wanting to press her for more information, but he didn’t want to sound jealous even though he was burning up inside with it. He attempted to cover himself by suddenly being flirtatious. “So why wasn’t I invited, Princess?”

The Amazon saw right through him. “You’re a guy, Bruce. It was a girls’ night out,” she reminded him with a roll of her blue eyes. “It would have defeated the whole purpose to bring you along. Besides, I’m not so sure you could have handled it. Things got pretty wild.”

“So you got trashed, danced all night with men you didn’t even know and I’m the one who couldn’t have handled it?” he nearly yelled.

“I wasn’t trashed and by the end of the night I knew most of their names,” she revealed with a seductive smile as she turned and entered the club, leaving him standing there to pick up his jaw that he’d just dropped.

Looking down, he realized that his hands were clenched so tightly they were beginning to ache. He forced himself to relax, reminding himself that she would never have gone home with any of those men. She wasn’t like that…was she? The thought of some man touching her nearly buckled his knees, his jealous anger suddenly burning through his veins.

Following her inside, he immediately began to look for her, but she’d already been swallowed up by the throngs of people dancing and drinking. He instantly began to worry about her. She wasn’t used to a place like this and, while he knew she could handle herself, he couldn’t help being very protective of her.

Even though she’d been in Man’s World for three years now, she was still quite naïve about things and he feared men were at the top of that list. He didn’t want anyone trying to take advantage of her, forcing her into something she wasn’t ready for.

Of course, this was Diana that he was talking about. No one was ever going to force her to do anything she didn’t want to do. She was the most obstinate person he’d ever met, sometimes to the point of nearly driving him crazy. It made him realize how Alfred felt dealing with him all the time.

Looking to his right, Bruce finally caught sight of her. Being tall and gorgeous made her easily stand out from the crowd especially since everyone pretty much parted like a sea to allow her to pass, every head turning as she walked past. They didn’t seem to know who she was, but they definitely recognized there was something special about her.

If they only knew how truly special she was.  
He immediately made his way towards her, picking up his pace when he noticed a man grabbing hold of her arm and trying to pull her in to dance with him. He growled low in his throat as he stalked towards him, his fists ready to intervene.

Before he could do or say anything, Diana calmly placed a single finger against the man’s chest, her blue eyes flashing dangerously. He couldn’t hear what she had said to him, but by the way the man turned as white as a sheet he could guess.

Reaching her, Bruce quickly slid his arm around her waist, pulling her towards an empty table. “Careful, Princess,” he warned her. “This place can get a little rough. What did you say to that man?”

“I just told him that if he touched me again, I would remove his genitals and feed them to him,” she casually replied. “He seemed to get the point.”

Bruce chuckled in response as he sat down in the chair next to her. “I should hope so.”

“So what’s good to drink here?” she asked excitedly.

“I didn’t know you were much of a drinker, Princess,” he commented.

Diana smiled something sultry at him, her blue eyes darkening. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know, Mr. Wayne.”

“I have a feeling there’s a lot of truth to that,” he replied with a frown. “I imagine you were quite a handful for your mother to raise.”

Diana laughed with his observation. “And what makes you think that?”

“Just a feeling I have,” he replied with a knowing smirk. “You’re a stubborn handful now. I can only imagine what it was like trying to contain you as a child.”

“Oh, and I’m sure you were a perfect angel growing up,” she countered.

Bruce straightened up, holding his chin high with pride. “Of course I was.”

“I think I need to introduce you to my lasso,” she decided.

“I think I’ll pass on that particular introduction,” he maintained with a wincing expression.

“What are you hiding, Bruce Wayne?” she coyly asked. “Some sordid past? A few girlfriends in the closet? Maybe a secret identity?”

Bruce leaned on the table, closing the distance between them. His expression had turned flirty, more the playboy than the real Bruce Wayne. “I guess it’s something you’re just going to have to find out for yourself, Princess.”

Diana leaned in as well, her elbow resting on the table as her hand supported her chin. “Well then, I guess the story of how I got the scar on my hip will remain untold.”

Bruce sat up in stunned disbelief. He didn’t remember ever seeing any scars on her. “I thought your Meta healing kept you from having scars.”

“Usually, but this one is different,” she cryptically told him.

“How did you receive it?” he asked, intrigued.

“Maybe later,” she responded with a shrug before suddenly grabbing him by the hand. “Come on…let’s dance.”

“What?”

“I want to dance,” she repeated, pulling him towards the dance floor that was already packed.

“I didn’t think you knew how to dance like this.”

Diana grinned at him as she began to dance, shaking her hips and crooking her finger towards him with a ‘come hither’ expression. He watched in utter amazement, mesmerized by her. He felt his heart begin to pound a little harder, amusement playing on his lips.

She had him so twisted up inside as he watched her move, her face filled with such pleasure. She’d had him on his toes since the second the door to her quarters opened to reveal her in nothing but a towel. His mind had been in conflict with his heart as well as his body as he tried his best to discourage her only to find himself in a fierce battle of his own.

He found himself falling even more in love with her, the beautiful fiery spirit within her drawing him in like a moth to an irresistible flame. He wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything in his life, desire so intense he could hardly breathe sometimes and it wasn’t just physical desire. He loved her inside and out.

And all the while, his mind was telling him how wrong this was, how he was going to destroy her spirit or lose her forever to his enemies. The thought alone was enough to take his legs out from under him, but he locked his knees, forcing himself to stay upright.

Sensing the conflict within him, Diana danced her way towards where he was standing there staring at her, refusing to allow him to crawl inside that brooding mind of his to hide from her. She had gotten him to come this far and she was not about to let him go back.

She reached out, taking his hand in hers and pulling him in for a heated kiss that didn’t last nearly long enough for either of their liking, but she didn’t want to push him too hard or he’d run away from her and never come back.

“Let’s get something to drink,” she suggested, knowing she wasn’t going to get him to dance with her…at least not this kind of dancing. It definitely wasn’t his style, but of course neither was the outfit he was wearing.

Bruce began to lead her through the noise and throngs of people towards the bar. He didn’t know how she did it, but she had just pulled him back from the edge of that dark abyss that lived within his soul. She had no idea how many times she had saved him with something as simple as a smile or a touch, momentarily lightening the heavy load that he willingly carried in his heart.

Before they could make it halfway across the dance floor, someone grabbed hold of Diana. Her hand slipped free from Bruce’s as she turned to find a towering man gripping her arm. She glared hotly at him as he leered at her.

“Ditch your boyfriend, baby,” he told her. “Come dance with a real man.”

Diana cocked a raven eyebrow as she studied the man. “You are not a real man.”

The guy laughed in response to her cutting remark. “I like you, honey,” he said with a wicked grin. “You’ve got sass.”

“I’ve also got a fist that will knock you on your ass if you don’t release your hold on me,” she calmly replied.

“Let go of her,” Bruce ground out from beside her.

“Why don’t you go find a woman more your speed, farm boy,” the guy snapped as he stared at Bruce’s outfit. “She’s far too much woman for you, but not for me. I like them with a lot of fire. Makes them a lot more fun to tame. I bet you like it rough, don’t you, tiger?”

“I said let go of her,” Bruce repeated, his chest beginning to heave with fury.

Diana pulled her arm free, knowing that things were about to get out of control real fast. “Come on, Bruce,” she cajoled, taking his hand to lead him away. “Let’s go.”

“You’re not going anywhere except with me, sweetheart,” the man stated, too drunk to be fazed by Bruce’s fierce glower as he jerked Diana away from Bruce again.

Before Bruce could react, Diana’s right hook connected with the brute’s face, sending him flying back into the crowd of people. “I am not your sweetheart!” Diana yelled.

Bruce bit back a smirk of pride as he reached for her again, the disruption in dancing suddenly turning into an all out brawl as the guy finally managed to stand to his feet. He started swinging his fists at anyone and everyone in his path, drunk and dazed as blood poured from his broken nose.

“I think we better get out of here,” Bruce muttered in her ear as he began to lead her towards the door.

Unfortunately, all hell had broken lose. Bodies were flying everywhere, people shoving and pushing, fists swinging and legs kicking. Bruce ducked just in time to miss a punch aimed straight for his head before side-stepping over a broken chair. 

He tightened his hold on the princess, pulling her closer to him as he tried to guide her through the fray without getting sucked in. Tables crashed into walls, chairs smashed over heads while people screamed and cursed. This night had been a complete disaster like he had hoped it would be, but even this had gone far beyond his expectations.

Diana yanked her arm away from some woman trying to drag her into the brawl, the woman’s long nails raking down her forearm as her other hand yanked hard on her hair. As much fun as it looked, the Amazon had no plans to be dragged into the melee, knowing that it would be a black eye on the League if she was recognized.

Bruce was more than relieved as they finally reached the door, cursing to himself for bringing her here in the first place. Escaping outside, he swiftly pulled her into a nearby alley, needing to make sure she was alright. Turning, he was stunned to find her dress torn and her hair a tangled mess. Somehow, though, she still managed to look unbelievably beautiful. He had no idea how it was possible.

“Are you alright?” he asked with concern as he ran his fingers through her hair, his hands coming to rest on either side of her neck. 

He felt positively horrible for what had just happened. He never should have brought her here. What had he been thinking doing something like this to her? He loved her and he had just put her in danger by bringing her to a club in a seedy part of Gotham.

“I’m fine,” she replied with a smile. “I’m sure it looks worse than it is. I just hope no one recognized me.”

“Diana, I’m so…I’m sorry,” he apologized, his forehead coming to rest against hers as his eyes fell closed in shame.

“Bruce, I’m fine,” she reassured him. “It was actually fun. I haven’t had that kind of excitement in a long time.”

“I never should have brought you here,” he murmured with a sigh. “Come on; let’s go back to the manor and get you cleaned up.”

“Sounds good to me,” she agreed, allowing him to lead her back to his car.

Helping her into the car, Bruce felt more conflicted than he had since he had concocted this plan to dissuade her. Instead of discouraging her from falling in love with her, he had found him steadily growing more resolved to keep her in his life.

His plan had completely backfired, blowing up right in his face.

As they drove away, Bruce knew that he had to tell her the truth. It caused his stomach to twist into painful knots, knowing that once he told her, she’d never want to talk to him ever again. He’d be lucky if he could even walk under his own power tomorrow.

The car ride home was filled with tense silence as Bruce struggled with what his heart had been telling him all along. This night was not supposed to have turned out like this. She was supposed to be repulsed by him while he went on with his life, focusing once more on his mission and trying to forget that she took his heart with her.

Instead, he found himself drawn to her now more than ever. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, how she lit up his whole world with that smile and brought so much happiness to his life. He wanted her with him forever.

Diana stared out the window, feeling the internal struggle going on in Bruce. She wanted more than anything to help him, but he had to figure this out on his own. She couldn’t force him to love her or to let her in. He had to come to that decision on his own. All she could do was love him and hope that it would be enough.

Finally arriving home, Bruce escorted her inside of the manor, struggling to find the courage that he needed to tell her everything. He came to sudden stop in the foyer, his chin falling to his chest as he drew a deep breath, feeling her eyes on his back as he laid the car keys on the table.

“Diana, there’s something that I have to tell you,” he began, steeling himself against the Amazonian fury that was about to be unleashed on him as he forced himself to turn around and face her. He found it harder than facing off against Bane.

“I know,” she simply said, her hands clasped before her.

Bruce’s head shot up, taken aback to find her eyes filled with love and understanding. “You know?”

“I know, Bruce,” she softly repeated. “I know you did all of this on purpose to discourage me from falling in love with you.”

“How did you know?” he asked with a shake of his head, closing the distance between them without even realizing that his legs were moving.

“Come on, Bruce,” she replied with a chuckle. “Look at you. You never dress like this. You took me to the worst park that Gotham had to offer and that club was an absolute nightmare.”

He felt an unexpected burning in his throat, suddenly more than determined to make it up to her. “I’m sorry, Princess,” he whispered, having difficulty finding his voice. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was only trying to make you see that I’m not worth your attention or love.”

“I’m afraid it didn’t work,” she confessed, reaching up to caress his cheek. 

“It didn’t?”

“No, because I loved every moment of it,” she gently said. “It doesn’t matter to me what we do or where we go, Bruce. I only want to be with you because I’m already in love with you.”

Bruce gazed into her blue eyes, losing himself in the love that he found there. It was love reserved just for him. Despite it all, _she loved him_. It confounded his mind and made no sense to him, but it was real and it was there shining in her eyes.

His life was a violent hurricane of chaos, full of insanity and depravity, but she…she was the sweet calming eye in the center of that fierce storm. He knew in that moment that he couldn’t live without her…didn’t want to.

His hand came to rest against the side of her face, his thumb tenderly caressing her cheekbone. “I love you, Princess,” he murmured. “I love you so much I can barely breathe sometimes.”

The corners of her lips curved with his confession, her hand slipping from his face to rest on the back of his neck. “I love you too, Bruce.”

He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly and knowing that Alfred was standing there around the corner watching them. “Goodnight, Alfred,” Bruce called before leaning in to kiss her again.

“Goodnight, Master Bruce…Miss Diana,” Alfred sheepishly replied before silently slipping back to his bedroom.

“Would you like to get out of that dress?” His voice was husky, his blue eyes stormy with intense desire. It caused a shiver to race up her spine.

“I thought you’d never ask,” she murmured, her lips brushing against his. “Unfortunately, I didn’t pack an overnight bag.”

“I think I might have something you can wear,” he teased with a smirk as he took her hand to lead her upstairs.

They kissed their way to his bedroom, neither able to keep their hands off each other, both burning with a desperate need to touch. Unable to stand it a moment longer, Bruce paused, lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her into his bedroom.

He kicked the door closed with his boot, his mouth thoroughly occupied with the beautiful Amazon in his arms. They took their time undressing each other, exploring with hands and mouth before finding their way to his waiting bed.

His lips grazed her collarbone as his hands caressed her body, learning what made her moan and what made her cry out with pleasure. Her long slender fingers stroked the muscular planes of his back, tracing every scar before her hands finally came to rest on his shoulder blades as the passion only grew hotter.

His name was a breathless chant on her lips as he continually rocked into her, his face buried in the crook of her neck as they clung to one another, losing themselves in the intimate expression that words couldn’t begin to fully convey.

Each caress of her lips against his skin, every brush of his fingertips was followed by throaty moans and gasps as they communicated their pleasure to one another. The ultimate culmination of their love left them breathing heavily and wanting so much more.

She nuzzled her nose against his as she shifted over him, a loving smile playing on her lips as she leaned in to kiss him again. “You owe me a real date now, you know,” she breathlessly said as she placed biting kisses along his throat, her hands caressing his chest riddled with scars.

“I plan on having many dates with you,” he throatily replied as he pressed the back of his head even further into the pillow, happily submitting to her exquisite torture. “You’re mine now, Princess.”

Diana squealed with delight as he abruptly sat up and flipped her over onto her back, taking control once more. As he kissed her breathless, he suddenly realized that the voice in his head telling him how wrong this was had grown silent. Love and desire had won out over a logic that had been anything but rational.

Now, making love to her all over again, he knew that letting her into his life had been the best ending to a disastrous date. Now to find out about that scar on her hip...

 

**THE END**


End file.
